


Sabotage

by deathwailart



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Genophage, Multi, Renegade Commander Shepard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-15
Updated: 2014-07-15
Packaged: 2018-02-09 01:03:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1963065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deathwailart/pseuds/deathwailart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She can't allow the krogan to threaten the future they're fighting tooth and nail for.  Someone has to mark the hard call.</p>
<p>Written for the 30 day drabble challenge: sabotage</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sabotage

Below her, krogan are mourning the true mother of Tuchanka. Somewhere in the wreckage of the Shroud lies the body of Mordin Solus, perhaps only scraps left as he bled out on the way up to prevent a cure, to correct a mistake. In his opinion. Asteria can admire strength but she gets it. She's trusted Wrex but she knows how fast krogan breed, how long they live, how hungry they are for vengeance; if Grunt is perfection created by one mad scientist then what the hell will a breeding boom absent the genophage give them? She doesn't know what she expected to feel as she listens to the eulogy and keeps her helmet on, arms folded, the stoic soldier because Asteria Shepard doesn't do emotions as a rule unless they're anger. She doesn't show a damn thing, lets her reputation speak for her as she watches the flames dance. It's always fire. Mindoir. Torfan. Tuchanka.  
  
She should be moved, she thinks. A normal person would be moved but she died back on Mindoir when she was a sweet sixteen year old girl who saw her parents killed and who ended up hiding for a week in a storm bunker, rank with her own fear, delirious and sobbing when an Alliance soldier found her and bundled her up in her jacket, stroking her back. Trying to calm a kicked dog that only knows how to bite.  
  
She's done this for the galaxy. Use the krogan for now to help out the turians because they need the turians and that's all the krogan were ever uplifted for anyway. They were cannon fodder from the start and her experience with them has only confirmed that. They'll have brute force until it runs out, the military tactics of the turians, the brilliance and cunning of the salarians. It's the only way to beat the Reapers and perhaps the krogan, at the end of it, when they're only a memory living on in the asari, will be remembered a little more kindly than the batarians because at least they did something.  
  
They leave with only a few words, Wrex pledging his support, all of them quiet on the shuttle back to the Normandy because hey, they brought down a _Reaper_ today and that feels good, makes her feel strong. Sovereign and all his minions, the Collectors and their base, held them off by destroying that relay and now they've brought down a Reaper on Tuchanka. She'll need to contact the dalatrass, let her know the good news, probably try to get a hold of Hackett and check in our their situation as a whole now. Only two of them alive need know just how they've pulled this off – let them think Asteria Shepard, ruthless, cold, grim, calculating butcher of Torfan somehow granted them a miracle. A cure for the genophage, the cooperation of the salarians, the krogan and turians fighting shoulder to shoulder.  
  
It's Javik who stops her when Garrus hops out of the shuttle.  
  
"Commander," he says and there's a smile on his face, a savage curl of the lip.  
  
She tugs off her helmet, lets him see the smile that mirrors his. "You got to kill a Reaper today."  
  
"And I thank you for that." But he doesn't let go of her and she's the closest thing there is to another prothean, she forgets that sometimes. "You smell of deceit."  
  
"That stays between you and me," she replies but pushes him back against the shuttle. If Steve or James or anyone else sees then they'll have the good sense to keep their mouths shut about it. "Liara..."  
  
"I understand."  
  
She presses her mouth to his, feels his hands go to her hips and Javik gets it, he understands vengeance, win at all costs. She pulls away from him and bends to pick up her helmet.  
  
"My cabin, I'll get Liara, we'll celebrate."  
  
"To our victory," he growls, looking feral, eyes glinting bright and she loves it. "To your cunning."


End file.
